Well, It’s Memorable, At Least. Check Out The Cover Art For Ghostface Killah’s New Album, The Wizard Of Poetry [Idolator]
Death Cab For Cutie Reveals New Moon Soundtrack Single, “Meet Me On The Equinox.” Sounds Rather Middle-School Romantic, Till You Realize That Means “Meet Me Twice A Year.” [Stereogum]
Goodness, Gracious! Jerry Lee Lewis To Release First Country Album Since 1978, Chock Full Of Kris Kristofferson Songs [The Tripwire]
Malaysian Muslims Banned From Black Eyed Peas Show. “Non-Muslims Can Go Have Fun,” Says Ministry Of Information [NME]
Download New Caspian Album, And Check Them Out Tomorrow Night At The Studio @ Webster Hall [Brooklyn Vegan]
Listen To HEALTH’s Daytrotter Sessions [Pitchfork]
Shot Down By Sound! Download No Age’s New Track, “You’re A Target.” [Pitchfork]
Watch Talking Heads, Reunited For 1999 Press Conference, In The Blu-Ray Edition Re-Release of Stop Making Sense [Rolling Stone]
compiled by Erin Sheehy
Roger Daltrey of The Who to Go On Solo Tour, Talk About His Generation to the Youngsters [BrooklynVegan]
As You May Know, We Love Talking Heads. So Please Don’t Call On Oct. 13, When Stop Making Sense Comes Out On Blu-Ray Format [Pitchfork]
Bad Blood Between Matador Records and Victory Records Getting Worse In Wake of House Fire [Pitchfork]
No More Albums Don’t Mean No More Music! Listen to New Radiohead Track, “These Are My Twisted Words” [Consequence Of Sound]
Are You On The Bus? Dan Deacon’s Bus That Is. Watch This Mini Documentary About Deacon’s “Vantastic” School Bus [Pitchfork]
Dr. Dre to Rescue Your Ears From All Those Sad Tinny mp3s You’ve Been Listening To, Thus Saving the World of Digital Music! [Pitchfork]
What Dislocated Shoulder? Randy Randall and No Age Back On Tour, Hitting New York In October [Tiny Mix Tapes]
RIP Rashied Ali, Jazz Drummer, Coltrane Collaborator [NME]
compiled by Erin Sheehy
August 12, 2009
Chris Frantz, Talking Heads
HOLY MUSICIAN, BATMAN…
My most enlightening, awe-struck moment of musical inspiration during my teenage years involved hearing “Psycho Killer” on the radio. Inarguably, the song is greatness at its purest. For me, Talking Heads’ abstract lyrics, minimal instrumental parts, and distinctive style changed my perspective on artistic intention, relaying the “less is more” mantra music teachers often preach. Pushing technical showmanship aside for a greater piece of music, drummer Chris Frantz was especially notable in taking this approach.
Talking Heads didn’t just have a rhythm section – they were a rhythm section. Their songs are like logical yet inventive collections of rhythmic cells played by each contributing instrument. Even David Byrne’s singing usually had a more rhythmic than melodic quality to it, often repeating the same note during verses. Their music was, however, especially enlivened by Frantz’s drum set. Frantz was the unwavering, steady backbone that fueled the Heads’ unrelenting energy. His beats were often basic, but quirky and a notable part of the band’s overall sound.
More on Chris Frantz, Talking Heads
